I Ran A Marathon In The Hottest Place On Earth
I Ran A Marathon In The Hottest Place On Earth
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00:00 This is Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth.
00:05 Death Valley, 130 degrees.
00:08 130 degrees.
00:10 The hottest recorded temperature anywhere on the planet.
00:13 Located in the northern Mojave Desert,
00:16 Death Valley's hellish temperatures are so lethal
00:19 that there are warning signs discouraging travelers
00:22 from just being outside past 10 a.m.
00:26 So, what would happen to the human body if you ran a marathon here?
00:32 In the hottest month of the year.
00:35 I've recruited some of the most accomplished runners, coaches,
00:39 and support staff in the world to help me undertake
00:43 my most physically daunting and dangerous challenge yet.
00:47 To run 26.2 miles in the hottest place on Earth.
00:53 Challenge accepted.
00:55 [music]
01:00 Hey!
01:01 Hey, Michelle!
01:03 Chantel, it's so nice to meet you.
01:04 Awesome, so nice to meet you!
01:06 Oh my gosh.
01:07 Welcome to Wyoming!
01:08 It is so beautiful here.
01:10 Before heading to Death Valley, I'm meeting with Chantel Robitaille,
01:14 an exercise physiologist and extreme conditions coach,
01:18 to see what it would take to pull this off.
01:20 My goal is to run a marathon in Death Valley in four weeks.
01:26 In four weeks?
01:28 Yeah.
01:29 Okay.
01:30 Normally I would recommend a minimum of 20 weeks.
01:34 A minimum to get someone ready.
01:36 Why do you want to do this in only four weeks?
01:38 So, I'm turning 30 in four weeks, and I'm actually terrified.
01:45 As somebody whose entire career is based on my physical ability,
01:53 I know it's not a forever thing.
01:55 Look at women who have done incredible things in the marathon
01:58 after the age of 30.
01:59 Des Linden, Sarah Hall.
02:02 This happened after they became mothers,
02:04 and well after their 30th birthdays.
02:06 I'm almost there, 50 myself.
02:09 So we are capable of so much more than what society might tell us
02:14 we're capable of.
02:15 I like proving people wrong.
02:17 So, maybe you need to prove yourself wrong.
02:21 With Chantel signed on, the reality of it all started to sink in.
02:24 The ground temperatures here can approach a couple hundred degrees,
02:27 so you're talking about pretty much boiling the shoes.
02:30 That ground is then radiating the heat back up into the air.
02:33 Your sweat will evaporate almost instantly,
02:35 to the point where you don't even realize you're sweating.
02:38 I quickly realized that if I was going to have any chance
02:41 of crossing the finish line, I needed to bring in a partner
02:44 who could help combat the unforgiving environment of Death Valley.
02:48 You're telling me you're going to run in 130 degree weather?
02:52 Potentially, yeah.
02:54 You know, we've had several of our athletes run in similar conditions,
02:58 and I think we can probably help you get exactly what you need
03:01 to get this done.
03:02 Whether that's gear or just moral support, we're there for you.
03:06 Bro, I'm very nervous.
03:10 This level's actually a group or team sport, right?
03:13 So I think we're more than excited to be that team for you, Michelle,
03:16 and I just can't wait for you to crush this.
03:18 It's going to be awesome.
03:19 Brooks was in, and now all I had to do was train.
03:23 Trim, we're going to go on the trail now. You ready?
03:25 We're going to focus on building up your endurance.
03:28 We're also going to throw some hiking into that,
03:30 because there's no place on the course that's going to be completely flat.
03:33 So I want you to experience what it's like biomechanically
03:36 to switch between walking, power hiking, and running.
03:39 Also, I'm traveling for the next two weeks.
03:42 Chantel had me run between 4 and 10 miles a day, five days a week,
03:56 with the workouts being a mixture of high-intensity interval training,
03:59 long endurance runs, and heat training.
04:03 So that meant that I would schedule her to go out for a run,
04:06 and then she would come back home from that run and get into a sauna.
04:10 Doesn't that sound fun?
04:12 Oh, my God. I was just listening to music.
04:15 Guess what song comes on?
04:18 Bo Burnham's "I'm Turning 30."
04:22 The more I think about it, I'm not, like, scared of a number.
04:27 I'm actually just scared about getting old, getting wrinkles,
04:31 and all those vanity things that, like, I don't want to admit that I'm scared of.
04:35 And I'm really scared that, like, this body I have right now
04:39 that can do what it can do will not always be able to do that.
04:45 I don't think I know who I am if I'm not the person who can do these things.
04:52 Time to go.
04:57 When running a marathon, good gear is essential.
05:00 I'm using polarized sunglasses, a watch to track my mileage,
05:04 a hydration vest, which I didn't even know existed, and my shoes.
05:10 For this race, I'm running in the Brooks Glycerin 20s.
05:13 These shoes are made with nitro-infused softness,
05:16 which keeps my feet super comfortable on all of my long-distance runs.
05:20 I've been running in Brooks for years, and they have been my cheat code for comfortable running.
05:24 They're the only shoes I wore for the entirety of my training.
05:27 For any new runner, there really is only one tool you actually need,
05:31 and that's a fantastic pair of shoes.
05:33 So if you want to grab a pair of the Glycerin 20s,
05:35 you guys can head to my link below to start your running journey today.
05:39 And thank you so much to Brooks for making this epic episode possible.
05:44 I didn't really sleep the past couple nights because I was just so anxious about it.
05:57 I just want to finish it. I just want to finish it.
06:02 Like already, the temperature is going up so much. It's 730.
06:07 In like the 15 minutes we've been here, it's gone up like 3 degrees.
06:11 It's extremely hot today, okay?
06:14 You're going to feel weak, fatigued. Just keep drinking water.
06:17 If you're feeling off, just let me know. I'll come help you.
06:20 Okay. Thank you.
06:21 You ready? Yep.
06:22 Any last words? Rome, don't say it like that!
06:27 But if I had to choose, my last words would be, "Please subscribe."
06:32 We just hit 3 million subscribers, and for those of you who have been following our subscriber quest
06:37 to do a video with the United States Secret Service,
06:40 I'm excited to formally announce we've made contact.
06:44 Counting down in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go!
06:51 Yeah!
06:55 Let's go!
06:57 For long distance races, a pacer runs alongside the athlete to keep them safe
07:11 and help maintain a consistent speed.
07:14 And luckily for me, Brooke sent some of the most accomplished and overqualified pacers in the world.
07:20 So the distance I'm trying to go today, you broke the world record for.
07:25 Yeah.
07:26 Oh my God! That's crazy.
07:29 I set the 50K world record, the indoor marathon world record, led Boston for about 20 miles.
07:35 So few people have actually gone out and pushed themselves to try that.
07:39 For a marathon, a lot of people just create these barriers in their mind of what they can and can't do.
07:46 Because it sounds so inhuman, the length, the distance.
07:51 Due to the harsh conditions of this environment, I actually need to have a support crew drive alongside me at all times.
07:58 So we pulled a breaking bad and brought an RV to the desert.
08:01 Just like an F1 pit crew, they will be responsible for keeping me up and running.
08:06 Keep moving, we're going to move along beside you.
08:08 How are you temperature-wise?
08:10 I feel great.
08:11 And we'll get the spritzer ready for the next two miles.
08:14 We always have someone running behind her, monitoring how Michelle's doing.
08:18 You know, how's her pace, how's her breathing, making sure she's drinking at regular intervals, eating every 30 minutes, a little something.
08:24 That was quick.
08:25 Yeah, it's very quick.
08:27 And that's the goal, we want to like keep them moving.
08:30 Hydrated and fueled.
08:31 Yep.
08:32 The stretch of desert I will be running is a 26.2 mile section of the famous Badwater 135,
08:38 a 135 mile foot race through Death Valley, also known as the Race from Hell.
08:44 Oh, do you feel that?
08:45 The sun just got way hotter.
08:47 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
08:48 Oh God.
08:49 If we were in an oven, someone just turned it up.
08:52 I just, whoo, felt that.
08:54 Scott Jurek is one of the world's most accomplished ultra-marathoners.
08:58 He's won many of the sport's most demanding races.
09:00 I've won the Western States 100 mile endurance run seven consecutive years.
09:04 I've won the Badwater 135 twice.
09:08 For somebody who used to hate running, I never thought I'd be running 135 miles on pavement through Death Valley.
09:14 I used to think like people were nuts.
09:16 So what was it like when you were in Badwater?
09:18 The sun beating down, but then also the pavement radiating the heat back up.
09:23 It's like a blowtorch blowing on you, like it's just that constant heat.
09:29 I've seen the pictures of you in the ice chest.
09:31 How did you decide to keep going?
09:34 There was that bit of maybe I could just walk a little bit.
09:38 And then it was like, can I do a little bit of a jog?
09:41 Bit by bit, climbing out of that, and I think that's the biggest thing is baby steps.
09:48 I'm just trying to get into that positive mode.
09:54 Hey, hey, 10 miles, let's go!
09:57 What do you need?
09:58 Just water.
09:59 Jess has got water.
10:00 Do you want any nutrition?
10:01 I have one.
10:02 Okay, good.
10:03 Scott, how are you doing?
10:04 Excellent.
10:05 Good?
10:06 Any pain right now?
10:07 Feeling good.
10:08 What are you thinking in terms of?
10:09 Do you want to dump any more water, Michelle?
10:10 Yeah.
10:11 Woo, that's good.
10:12 Good.
10:13 Do you want to drink the cold water?
10:16 We're 10 miles in.
10:17 As Scott mentioned in the RV this morning, there's a period where it feels good, and then a period where it doesn't.
10:23 So I'm trying to make this period last as long as possible.
10:27 How do you feel temperature-wise?
10:30 It's warm.
10:31 Cold thoughts?
10:32 Antarctica.
10:33 Sploshies?
10:34 Snowflakes.
10:35 Ice cubes?
10:37 New Hampshire in the wintertime.
10:39 Popsicles?
10:40 Skiing.
10:41 Hockey?
10:42 Luge.
10:43 Are we just naming winter Olympic sports?
10:45 Yeah, there we go.
10:46 We'll go through the whole thing.
10:51 There are small things that could stop Michelle's day, but there are real serious things that could stop her day, too.
10:56 My knee is bothering me a lot.
11:00 Let's just keep an eye.
11:01 If it is getting a little worse, we can try changing cadence or doing a quick little stretch.
11:08 What if that knee just doesn't want to go anymore?
11:10 Or what if she's changing her gait, and now suddenly her hip is bugging her or something else?
11:16 Our job together is to make sure that none of that happens.
11:19 Can you think about bringing your pelvis under just a little bit?
11:23 Oh, yes.
11:25 How's that feel?
11:26 Much better.
11:27 Yeah, because you're a little arched.
11:28 And relax those ribs.
11:30 It's okay.
11:31 I'm okay.
11:32 This is not a big deal.
11:33 This is not a big deal.
11:34 Yeah, we keep going.
11:35 We keep going.
11:36 I can't go.
11:53 I feel so slow.
11:55 I just keep having to stop and walk constantly.
11:59 Six years ago, I ran the LA Marathon when I was 24.
12:06 I guess I just don't feel 24 anymore.
12:09 I averaged eight-minute miles.
12:12 Now, today, holding an eight-minute pace for one mile just feels like I'm suffocating.
12:18 I just got this idea in my head, like, "Oh, my God.
12:21 I'm turning 30.
12:22 I have to capitalize and do something crazy to end my 20s."
12:27 And now that I'm in it, I'm like, "What was I thinking?"
12:37 So, we've got a cold, long-sleeve shirt that we are going to foist upon her.
12:41 Woo!
12:42 Woo, woo, woo, woo!
12:43 Woo!
12:44 Cold, wet shirt.
12:45 Throw that on.
12:46 The long sleeve?
12:47 Yeah, it's wet.
12:48 It's wet and cold, and it's been in the freezer.
12:57 It's hard.
12:58 It's hard, yeah.
13:08 If you've trained for a marathon, you've probably heard about the dreaded wall.
13:15 It typically occurs around mile 20.
13:22 It's the point when a runner's glycogen within the muscles is finally depleted.
13:28 It's an instant, sudden shift where your brain goes into panic mode.
13:35 Your legs feel like concrete posts.
13:39 Your brain sends loud signals that you're going to die.
13:44 You won't, but it sure feels like it.
13:49 You're swarmed with negative thoughts designed to convince you to stop at all costs.
13:57 Maybe I'm not cut out for this anymore.
14:01 Maybe I'm not the athlete I used to be.
14:05 Maybe I should just stop.
14:20 Woo!
14:22 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
14:24 Let's go!
14:25 Get her, girl!
14:26 Woo!
14:28 Woo!
14:30 You did it!
14:31 You did it, you did it, you did it, you did it, you did it!
14:35 You can stop.
14:36 I got to do 30.
14:38 You okay?
14:39 I want to do 30.
14:40 You want to do the 30?
14:41 Up until this point, I was running away from 30.
14:45 But as I crossed the finish line, I realized that if I'm going to hit 30, I'm going to do it on my own terms.
14:53 I'm going to finally run towards it.
14:56 I just feel like the pandemic, like, stole so much.
15:00 Yeah, it did.
15:02 Of my 20s, and I just want to take it back here.
15:05 I want to take it back.
15:07 That's a really awesome way to look at it.
15:09 So come back to those things, right?
15:11 Come back to that stuff when you're out there running and you're doubting yourself, you're a badass.
15:17 Say it.
15:18 I'm a badass.
15:19 I didn't hear you.
15:20 I'm a badass.
15:21 One more time.
15:22 Say it louder.
15:23 Louder.
15:24 I'm a badass.
15:25 I'm a badass.
15:26 I'm a badass.
15:27 Let's do it.
15:39 Let's get this done.
15:40 Ow!
15:41 Hey, we got this.
15:42 Go Michelle!
15:43 We got this.
15:44 Let's get it.
15:45 We just have to finish.
15:47 Don't worry about time.
15:48 30 by 30.
15:50 Doing great.
15:51 I believe in myself.
15:53 Yeah.
15:54 I believe in myself.
15:56 You're getting there.
15:57 You can do anything.
16:00 I can do anything.
16:01 What are you again?
16:02 Badass.
16:03 No, say it louder.
16:04 I'm a badass.
16:05 That's right.
16:06 Yeah, Michelle!
16:07 You're running with me.
16:08 I'm joining you.
16:09 Let's go.
16:10 You got this.
16:11 You're so close.
16:12 Thank you for running with me.
16:15 Of course.
16:16 I believe in you.
16:18 [MUSIC PLAYING]
16:21 Woo!
16:27 Go team!
16:28 Let's go!
16:29 You got it!
16:30 Woo!
16:31 50K, here we come.
16:33 29.87.
16:35 Wow, she's like--
16:37 What is she doing?
16:40 Yes!
16:41 Woo!
16:42 Yes!
16:43 Yes!
16:44 Yeah!
16:45 Woo!
16:47 50K in the books.
16:49 Woo!
16:50 [LAUGHTER]
16:53 I didn't tell you for one millisecond.
16:56 You are a freaking badass.
16:59 I did it much slower than last time, but I ran way further.
17:03 I think I just have learned that as I'm getting older,
17:08 it's OK to do things slower, because then you can do more.
17:14 Growing older is a privilege denied to many,
17:17 and I'm finally starting to embrace and appreciate each passing year.
17:21 If you want to go on a running challenge of your own but don't know where to start,
17:25 I just uploaded a new beginners 10K running program on my app, MKFit.
17:30 For five whole weeks, I will coach you to your first 10K
17:33 with a full training plan, video demonstrations, and even my favorite recipes.
17:37 Participants will have the chance to win your own pair of glycerin 20s
17:41 and some of the incredible Brooks apparel featured throughout this video.
17:45 Enter the challenge today on MKFit.co.
17:48 And thank you so much to Brooks for believing in me
17:51 and helping make this experience possible.